Twin Cities PBS | Solid State: Minnesota’s High-Tech History | Full Documentary @TwinCitiesPBS | Uploaded December 2023 | Updated October 2024, 1 day ago.
Minnesota was the global epicenter of computing as the birthplace of the supercomputer and home to iconic companies like UNIVAC, Control Data, IBM Rochester, and Honeywell. Through early work with the military and its growing resource of locally educated talent, Minnesota continued to innovate the computer industry including an early version of the World Wide Web called "Gophernet".
00:25 Introduction
01:20 Codebreaking effort after Pearl Harbor catastrophe
03:48 MN businessman John Parker started Engineering Research Associates to work with Navy to produce codebreaking systems
06:43 Inventing memory - early start to digital computers
09:00 Infamous "Task 13" computer development challenge
11:52 Start of UNIVAC division in 1952
12:53 Control Data Corporation started in 1957 by former UNIVAC leader
14:46 Honeywell evolves into computing to create room sized computers in 1955
16:09 IBM Rochester started in 1956, location chosen through nationwide competition
17:01 Control Data Corp. launches "super-computer" 1604 and the iconic 6600, designed by Seymour Cray
21:23 Control Data's social vision - creating factories in urban areas vs. philanthropy
23:10 UNIVAC computer software to help NASA guide satellites launches
27:10 First Air Traffic Control system, started the FAA
28:34 Cray 1 and Cray 2 computers mainly used by military before being used by commercial companies
31:01 IBM developed the AS/400 mini-computer
32:26 Launching computer education statewide to engage youth through TIES (Total Information Education Services)
34:10 Dan Rawitsch created software program "Oregon Trail" using paper tape which became popular thanks to launch of Micro-computers like Apple
35:50 University of Minnesota's role in computing industry, engineer training pipeline for MN"s computing companies
37:00 Internet Gopher- local World Wide Web before there was a World Wide Web
39:40 MN computer companies experience decline and mergers
41:47 Preserving computer company history
45:36 Control Data experiences business challenges, shifts in computing industry in late 1980's
48:53 Control Data sells disk drive subsidiary to Seagate, industry shift toward personal computers
50:37 Today's tech companies
53:39 Why tech companies come to Minnesota today
________________________________________________
Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/TwinCitiesPBS/?sub_confirmation=1
Instagram: instagram.com/twincitiespbs
TikTok: tiktok.com/@twincitiespbs
Facebook: facebook.com/tptpbs
This content is made possible by viewers like you. Support Twin Cities PBS here: tpt.org/give
Watch more:
Oregon Trail Game: youtube.com/watch?v=QpV7dCBB3o8&t=445s
Dome City Proposed for MN: youtube.com/watch?v=Wd-de8uSEUk
#computer #technology #minnesotahistory
Minnesota was the global epicenter of computing as the birthplace of the supercomputer and home to iconic companies like UNIVAC, Control Data, IBM Rochester, and Honeywell. Through early work with the military and its growing resource of locally educated talent, Minnesota continued to innovate the computer industry including an early version of the World Wide Web called "Gophernet".
00:25 Introduction
01:20 Codebreaking effort after Pearl Harbor catastrophe
03:48 MN businessman John Parker started Engineering Research Associates to work with Navy to produce codebreaking systems
06:43 Inventing memory - early start to digital computers
09:00 Infamous "Task 13" computer development challenge
11:52 Start of UNIVAC division in 1952
12:53 Control Data Corporation started in 1957 by former UNIVAC leader
14:46 Honeywell evolves into computing to create room sized computers in 1955
16:09 IBM Rochester started in 1956, location chosen through nationwide competition
17:01 Control Data Corp. launches "super-computer" 1604 and the iconic 6600, designed by Seymour Cray
21:23 Control Data's social vision - creating factories in urban areas vs. philanthropy
23:10 UNIVAC computer software to help NASA guide satellites launches
27:10 First Air Traffic Control system, started the FAA
28:34 Cray 1 and Cray 2 computers mainly used by military before being used by commercial companies
31:01 IBM developed the AS/400 mini-computer
32:26 Launching computer education statewide to engage youth through TIES (Total Information Education Services)
34:10 Dan Rawitsch created software program "Oregon Trail" using paper tape which became popular thanks to launch of Micro-computers like Apple
35:50 University of Minnesota's role in computing industry, engineer training pipeline for MN"s computing companies
37:00 Internet Gopher- local World Wide Web before there was a World Wide Web
39:40 MN computer companies experience decline and mergers
41:47 Preserving computer company history
45:36 Control Data experiences business challenges, shifts in computing industry in late 1980's
48:53 Control Data sells disk drive subsidiary to Seagate, industry shift toward personal computers
50:37 Today's tech companies
53:39 Why tech companies come to Minnesota today
________________________________________________
Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/TwinCitiesPBS/?sub_confirmation=1
Instagram: instagram.com/twincitiespbs
TikTok: tiktok.com/@twincitiespbs
Facebook: facebook.com/tptpbs
This content is made possible by viewers like you. Support Twin Cities PBS here: tpt.org/give
Watch more:
Oregon Trail Game: youtube.com/watch?v=QpV7dCBB3o8&t=445s
Dome City Proposed for MN: youtube.com/watch?v=Wd-de8uSEUk
#computer #technology #minnesotahistory
